A few years ago, I realized that I was thinking about dental care all wrong. Instead of listening carefully to my dentist and making the necessary changes, I assumed that he was ultimately responsible for making sure that my teeth stayed healthy. Unfortunately, I developed a few serious cavities because I failed to properly brush and floss my teeth, and I knew that it was my fault. I decided to start taking notes at my dental checkups and carefully abiding by the dentist's orders. The difference was almost miraculous. This blog is all about working with your dentist to improve your result.

Working With My Dentist

How To Protect Your Tooth If Your Dental Crown Falls Off

8 May 2017

Siiri Puro

Dental crowns are designed to be long-term solutions to protect teeth that have had deep drilling or other damage done to them, but sometimes problems can occur. While rare, dental crowns can sometimes fall off of a tooth due to too much damage or pressure being put on them. If this has happened to you, read this quick guide to learn what you can do to protect your tooth from further damage.

Avoid Dangerous Foods and Drinks

Whether you needed a crown because your tooth was chipped, broken, or deeply drilled into, you should avoid anything that can damage that tooth further. Your dental pulp and root may be close to the surface, which could put them at risk of damage.

To avoid harming your tooth, avoid drinking or eating anything that's too hot, cold, or acidic. If the nerve or root in your tooth is exposed, hot and cold food could potentially damage its tissues, which could mean you would need a complete tooth extraction. Acidic food can also damage sensitive tissues, so avoid anything with excess acid, like fruit, juice, vinegar-based salad dressing, and preserved or pickled foods.

Make Use of Dental Cement

If you can't get to a dentist the exact moment your crown pops off, get to a grocery store or pharmacy instead. Most grocery stores and nearly all pharmacies sell dental cement that can be used to temporarily affix dental work back into your mouth.

After buying the dental cement, gently clean off the tooth with a soft, damp cloth to remove any debris. Apply the dental cement into the crown as directed on the package, and then place it firmly over the tooth. Follow the packaging's directions to make sure that it completely hardens in place before removing pressure.

Keep in mind that dental cement can keep your crown in place and help to protect your tooth, but only temporarily. It won't last like professional-grade dental cement does in your dentist's office, so you should still get to a dentist as soon as possible.

Once your crown is back in place, you should get to a dentist right away. If you explain your situation to your local, regular dentist, they may be able to squeeze you in for a repair on an emergency basis. Otherwise, seek out an emergency dentist that specializes in spur-of-the-moment damage and injuries to the mouth that need care right away. Doing so can help to protect your tooth from experiencing further damage.

For more information, you will want to contact a dental office such as Pinon Hills Dental.